Brutal denial

The presence of the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at University of Columbia reminded me of the act of another extremist figure, the well-known Imam Suhayb Salam in the Netherlands. On 31th of July I was invited to a Dutch TV-program called Bimbos & Burqas, this title refers to the post-modern hedonistic Paris-Hilton-culture (Bimbo) on one hand and the orthodox-religious be-afraid-for-the-hell culture (Burqa) on the other hand. One of the Burqa members was the Orthodox Imam Suhayb Salam, who had brought along his wife who was wearing a Burqa, looking like a human-penguin in studio 52 of Hilversum television station. >>>

Love me or hate me

I have developed such a HATE-CLUB (as opposed to fan-club) for myself I don't know I should be proud of it or not. It is indeed an achievement though, you must acknowledge, to make so many virtual haters who would even be ready to fill up a petition, complete it with virtual signatures with different IP's to throw me out of Iranian.com. I still don't know whether to be proud of this achievement or not. Believe me that I did not have the least idea that my writings would lead to this. I was surprised. Then I could choose among stopping the writing, changing my attitude, or continue on. I have chosen to continue on>>>

From the heart

...>>>

Eye of Hurricane

Who put my son Youssef on fire?
He must have a heart darker than oil

My daughter’s doll is a skull in Darfur

A woman half buried in the dirt
Showered with dark ages stones

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Beebokhaars

The Iranian students of Columbia University, who should be the youthful leaders of a resistence and opposition movement against the Ahmadinejad regime, are not planning a big protest nor a demonstration like that which preceded the fall of the Shah when he visited Washington DC in the late seventies. No acts of civil disobedience are in the plans nor enactments of the stoning of young women nor the hanging of homosexuals by our bright Iranian students of Columbia University. No, instead they have decided to treat the Ahmadinejad visit to their University like an “Introduction to Middle-Eastern History” ... Might as well organize a group therapy session where the students express their ‘feelings’ about the controversial president. >>>

Mighty Bollinger

Let me start by saying that Dr. Bollinger, president of Columbia University, made several valid points in his address before Ahmadinejad’s speech. I also commend him in the tone that he used to challenge Ahmadinejad. Politicians should not receive a free pass because they’re guests, invited speakers, or politicians. On the contrary, they should be subjected to harsh criticism when they deserve it. And so, let’s analyze Dr. Bollinger’s speech starting with his tone. Would Dr. Lee Bollinger have the courage to confront George Bush, Dick Cheney, Tony Blair, or any other world leader with the same tone? >>>

I was there

NEW YORK -- It's the day after President Ahmadinejad's speech at Columbia University… I’ve had a hard time going to sleep last night. I was just at the United Nations General Assembly meeting. President Ahmadinejad was the 6th speaker of the afternoon session. He followed the president of Argentina who contributed a good part of his speech condemning Iran on the famous Argentinian terrorist case, asking the international community to adress this issue and handle it differently! He used the phrase "la República Islámica de Irán" many times towards the end of his speech, just a few minutes before president Ahmadinjead was about to start. I start feeling a bit self-conscious...>>>

Too late?

I listened to President Ahmadinejad's speech today at Columbia University. There are several correspondents, reporters, journalists and analysts who have covered the story and shed light on the different aspects of this encounter. Some still blame Columbia University and some now are worshipping its President Lee Bollinger for his bluntly critical introduction. Some reporters are already manipulating the quotes and words to transfer an impression that did not exist in President Ahmadinejad's words. Some are asking themselves if Ahmadinejad actually extended an olive branch to the United States. >>>

من از جایی نیآمده ام

هرگز درختی نخواسته ام
که سایه اش از خورشید فراتر باشد
و ریشه هایش از انگشتهایم
درازتر.
من خاک را تنها برای ایستادن دوست داشته ام
و آب را برای ربودنِ هر آنچه باد
با خود
نبُرده ست.

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مجموعه ای از لذت ها

فریفته آموزه سلون، حقوقدان آتن باستان، که می گوید،"هیچ انسانی را خوشحال فرض مکن مگر آن انسان مرده باشد"، سونی مفهوم شادی را از یونان باستان تا دوران مدرن با جزییات دنبال کرد. او در تحقیقاتش یادآورمی شود که در یونان باستان شادی متعلق به دنیای پس از مرگ آدمی است که اعمال و کردار او از سوی جامعه بشریت قضاوت می شود. در قرن هجدهم، اما، شادی به مفهمومی انتزاعی تبدیل و قضاوت آن صرفا بر عهده شخص گذاشته شد. در این مقطع شادی تبدیل به "مجموعه ای از لذت ها" شد و دیگر با تاکیدات اخلاقی در ارتباط مستقیم نبود>>>

I still hate you " IRADJ KHAN"!

Getting a hair cut today took me back to my neighborhood salmooni , where Iradj khan, a GILAK man was a local shop keeper in "se raah-e takht-e jamshid" for as long as I remembered. In his shop there were all kind of magazines for customers to kill time until their turn, and a black and white TV. >>>

ماهیگیری با تور خورشید

دیگر از بهشت دلزده شده بودم ، دلم هوای تازه می خواست دلم از همه خوشی ها به هم خورده بود و خدا خیلی زود این را حس کرد و اجازه داد که با بالهای خودم به مرخصی بروم با همه ی دوستان فرشته ام خداحافظی کردم تک تک شان را بوسیدم یک به یک ، حتی به درختی که مادرم حوا و پدرم آدم ، زیرش از شیطان گول خورده بودند هم سر زدم و در لابه لای برگ های سبزش مار را دیدم و با او هم روبوسی کردم ، مار لبخندی زد و برایم سفری خوش آرزو کرد ، بالهای سفیدم را از خشکشویی کنار خانه ی خدا گرفتم از تمیزی برق می زد.>>>

زبان مادری

یکی از چیزهایی که بعد از مهاجرت خیلی سریع تفییر می کند، زبان است. یاد گرفتن زبان کشور جدید برای مهاجران لازمه بدست آوردن کار و جذب شدن در جامعه میزبان است. از این رو از همان روزهای نخست سعی می کنیم تا هرچه سریعتر هر آنچه که از این زبان جدید نمی دانیم به حوزه دانسته هایمان اضافه کنیم. ولی گاه چنان در این امر جدیت بخرج می دهیم که متوجه عوارض جانبی آن نمی شویم: بعضی از مهاجرانی که فرزند خردسال دارند با این استدلال که کودک هرچه سریعتر باید زبان محیط را بیاموزد (ولی شاید با این نیت که خودشان فرصت تمرین این زبان جدید را در گفتگو با فرزندشان پیدا کنند) به زبان جامعه میزبان با فرزندشان حرف میزنند.>>>